mueller



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1'. v

' F. T. MUELLER.

RELIEF VALVE. v

No. 402,098. Patented Apr. 23, 1889.

WITNESSES.- 11v VENT-0R N, Pains mmmm Wahinm o. c.

(No Modelg) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. T. M ELLER; I

RELIEF VALVE.

No. 402,098. Patented A r. 23,1889.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR,

M1; MW W 4 TTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK T. MUELLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO TIMOTHY KIELEY, OF SAME PLACE.

RELI EFVALVE.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,098, dated April 23, 1889.

Application filed November 21, 1883. $eria1No. 291,422. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

, moderate these sudden movements I have de- I with my improved attachment, adapted forv vised the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyIng drawings, in which A Figure l is a sectional view of the valve use on a vertical pipe; and Fig. 2 is a similar view'of a valve and the attachment arranged for a horizontal pipe.

The valve A shown in the drawings is an ordinary disk-valve with its spindle a fitted to a casing of the usual form. The valve is ordinarily kept closed by a lever, L, pivoted to a lug, e, on the cover I), or to any convenient part of the casing, Which is operated by an adjustable weight, W, or by a spring, if desired. Adish-shaped vessel, D, with a projecting rim, cl, is attached to the cover I), and over the open top of this vessel is placed a flexible diaphragm, R, of rubber or other suitable material, whichis secured in place by a ring, a", placed upon it and bolted through to the rim d, making a steam-tight joint. The rod C is secured to the center of the diaphragm R by having one end screwed through two round washersJ i, which are placed one on either side of the diaphragm. These washers are preferably made convex on the side next to the diaphragm, that they may more readily conform to its shape when in use. The other end of the rod 0 is jointed to the lever L at any convenient position, according to the pressures to be dealt with. The valve-stem a, is also preferably jointed to the lever L, as shown in Fig. 2. G is asmall cock inserted in the bottom of the vessel D. WVhen ready for action, the diaphragm R is curved downward within D, as shown in the drawings.

The action of my improved arrangement is as follows: When the pressure below the valve A lifts it against the lever L, the upward movement of L carries with it the rod 0 and raises the diaphragm R. The lifting of the diaphragm creates a partial vacuum within I the vessel D, which increases the higher the diaphragm is raised, thus gradually increasing the force against which the pressure on the valve has to act until the valve is brought to rest. If the vacuum created in D is too great to allow the valve to lift a sufficient distance, or causes it to open too slowly, the small cook G may be partly opened, allowing air to be drawn into D slowly, which will permit the lever L to rise in a correspondingly-moderate manner. If the valve-stem a is connected with the lever L, as shown in Fig. 2, the closing of the valve is controlled as effectually as its opening, but by the reverse of the operation before desoribed-that is, the closing of the valve compresses the air within the vessel D and its escape is regulated by the cock G.

It is evident that this attachment may be applied to similar valves in hydraulic apparatus, as well as to any description of steam apparatus.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a back-pressure or relief valve, the combination of the valve-lever with a dishshaped vessel closed at the bottom and having its top hermetically covered by a flexible diaphragm of rubber or other suitable material, said diaphragm being connected with the lever by a rod one end of which is attached to the center of the diaphragm and the other to the lever, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the valve A and its lever L, the vessel D, covered by a flexible diaphragm, R, the rod 0, connecting the dia-' phragm with the lever, and the cock Gr, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

\ FREDERICK T. MUELLER.

\Vitnesses:

JoIIANNEs LI, DAMON ETIENNE. 

